George W. Clarke, writing from Fort Scott, Kansas Territory to Samuel J. Jones (Sheriff Jones), described a May 30, 1858 incident in which Deputy U.S. Marshal Samuel D. Walker attempted to arrest him as a suspect in the Marais des Cygnes Massacre. Clarke declared that he was innocent of the charges and viewed Walker's arrest warrant as a "bogus writ." Clarke initially resisted arrest but claimed that he agreed to surrender to Lieutenant Shinn of the U.S. Army to prevent violence between Fort Scott residents and Walker's men. Clarke also described the unsuccessful efforts of angry Fort Scott residents to convince Walker to arrest James Montgomery.